Kia sportage 2007

Motoring by Press Association 23/11/2018, 12:50 pm FacebookTwitterWhatsAppEmail Send us a story Sign up to our Daily newsletter Car servicing is something which often involves more hassle than it needs to – and at times, it feels like somewhat of a chore. Thankfully, the experience with our Stonic was a little bit different. Despite only having LF18 NKM since April, it had already racked up the 10,000 miles – this meaning it was due its first service. Our choice of dealer was the closest to the office – Fine Cars Lee-on-the-Solent. It’s a small family run dealership nestled within a housing estate less than 100m away from the seafront, with cars brimming from its compact forecourt. The dealership handily opened just before 8am, allowing for the car to be dropped off before work – not something offered by all dealers. There was an odd sense of excitement from the servicing team, until it became apparent that this was the first Stonic … [Read more...] about Long-term report: A visit to the Kia dealer for our Stonic shows it’s in fine shape

Gary McDonald Business Editor 04 October, 2018 15:00 NEW car sales in Northern Ireland reversed by 15.2 per cent in September - blamed in part on a drop in business and consumer confidence due to uncertainty around Brexit. According to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), 5,365 cars were formally registered during the month, compared to 6,326 in September 2017. In the year so far, 43,772 new cars have vroomed away from local showrooms - a 4.65 per cent drop on where the market was this time last year (45,906). But the declines in Northern Ireland were less pronounced than the UK as a whole, where demand for new cars fell by more than 20 per cent month on month. The SMMT said 338,313 new cars were registered during what is normally one of the industry's strongest months due to the release of new number plates (down from 425,620 in August). Diesel and petrol registrations were down year-on-year, with a modest rise for alternatively fuelled cars such … [Read more...] about Consumer confidence blamed on sharp September slump in new car sales

The old Jeep Compass was a rubbish car. Introduced in 2007 to the already very competitive ‘soft roader’ section of the UK car market, it was one of Jeep’s first tentative steps away from the cuboid Cherokee and pseudo-military Wrangler on which it had built its reputation. But with a drab interior, weak engine range, two-star Euro NCAP rating and divisive appearance (it resembled a Willys MB that had been microwaved) the Compass never really found its way, and lost out to more compelling rivals. With the bar set this low, Jeep can be confident that its new Compass will comfortably outperform its predecessor. The fact that the TV ad campaign for this car focuses on the word “recalculating” is presumably a nod to this - the old car landed so far wide of the mark that the new one is a complete re-working, tasked with establishing the Compass as something you might actually buy on purpose. It’s fair to say that the 2018 car is a fairly … [Read more...] about Jeep Compass review – a good car, but is it good enough?